Indianapolis Maennerchor Records, 1866-1990

The Indianapolis Maennerchor (men's choir) emerged from a circle of young
men who were part of a wave of immigration that followed the failed European
revolutions of 1848. From its formal organization in June 1854 and first
performance in May 1855, the Maennerchor provided a cultural focus for the
"48ers" that was as important as the "sound mind and body" activities of the
Turners. After the American Civil War the Maennerchor emerged as one of the
most significant German organizations in Indianapolis. By 1900 the apparent
cohesiveness of the German community began to fragment when the Maennerchor,
and their main patron, John P. Frenzel, began to distance themselves from the
new Deutches Haus (German House) constructed by the Socialer Turnverein. This
split was emphasized by the construction of Maennerchor Hall in 1907. World
War I hurt the German community as a whole, and in combination with the death
of Frenzel, the Maennerchor began to struggle. The Depression forced the
Maennerchor to leave their hall in the early 1930s and become affiliated with
the Athenaeum (Deutches Haus). In 1943 the Maennerchor joined with the Knights
of Columbus and Murat Shrine to present a mixed chorus performance known as the
Triad Concert that helped to revive awareness and interest in the group. The
decline of German societies in Indianapolis during the 1960s led to strains
which prompted a break with the Athenaeum in 1973. An attempt to return to the
Maennerchor Hall failed when the building was razed in 1974. Through the 1990s
they have struggled with membership and financial constraints, but have
continued to perform regularly.

ACCESS

This collection is open to the public without restriction. The copyright
law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) govern the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material.

Presented by the Indianapolis Maennerchor, with some materials contributed
by the Athenaeum Turners, and individual members of both societies, October
1978-March 2000.
A78-11, A85-7, A88-45, M40 (A90-41), M44 (A91-41), M55 (A92-3), A93-80

Processed by Erik L. Lindseth and Gregory H. Mobley, January 2003.

HISTORICAL NOTE

The Indianapolis Maennerchor was formally established in June of 1854 after
developing from a small group of young men who had gathered informally in the
evenings to sing songs which reflected contemporary nationalist feelings in
Germany. They were all recent immigrants to the United States and part of the
wave of immigrants often described as "the 48ers," even though many had not
been directly involved in the failed European revolutions of 1848. Meeting
originally in a room rented by Eduard Longerich, Adolph Schnellschmidt, and
Hubert and Gottfried Recher, and under the direction of Longerich, the first
"unconstrained assemblages" soon evolved into more formal rehearsals. For many
of the young German-speaking immigrants, the preservation of their musical
traditions was an important aspect of their ethnic identity and an crucial part
of the German nationalism that had developed in the first half of the
nineteenth century. Indeed the foundation of the first German singing club for
male voices in 1808 by Carl Friedrich Zelter (at the suggestion of Goethe)
established an association with the German Romantic movement. This movement,
typified by the music of Carl Maria von Weber, Richard Wagner, Robert Schumann
and others, championed an ideal of Germanic culture and ethnic identity.

The first public concert was organized by Longerich, Nicolaus Jose and Georg
Bauer and held in Washington Hall on May 28, 1855. After performing at the
eighth national Saengerfest (song festival) in Cincinnati the next year, the
Indianapolis Maennerchor went on to host the first state chorus festival in
1858. When Eduard Longerich returned to Germany in 1858 to recover from a bout
with malaria (a common occurrence in Indianapolis before the local swamps were
drained), Ernst Despa became the new director of this increasingly prominent
society. Despa, a house painter who later became a prominent member of the
Freethinker Society, provides an early link with the liberal activists who were
beginning to emerge as leaders in the German community of Indianapolis.

After the Civil War the Maennerchor benefitted from the professional
training and musicianship of Professor Carl H. Weegmann, who was widely
acclaimed regionally for his production of a successful mixed-chorus operetta
in 1869. Under the direction of Prof. Weegmann, the Indianapolis Maennerchor
hosted the national Saengerfest of the North American Saengerbund in September
of 1867. The construction of an impressive temporary Saengerfest Hall and the
festivities associated with the arrival of nearly 800 delegates from 41
societies on the cultural environment of the city provides one of the most
significant markers for the rising importance of German societies in
Indianapolis.

During the 1870s the Maennerchor experienced continued success with Max
Lechner as director. Notable during this period was the foundation of a music
school by Director Lechner to train the children of members for future
involvement with area choirs, and the concert given at Roberts' Park Church in
September 1878 for the benefit of victims of yellow fever in the South. This
era peaked with the 25th anniversary of the society which was celebrated in
1880. Director Lechner resigned soon after and was replaced by Alexander
Ernestinoff for two years before he too resigned and became associated with the
Liederkranz singing society, the Musikverein, and eventually helped establish
the Indianapolis Orchestra, and served as its first director.

Ernestinoff was succeeded as director of the Maennerchor by Professor Karl
Barus of Cincinnati, who led the group until 1896. During the Barus era
Indianapolis enjoyed numerous operas produced under his directorship and
starring members of the Maennerchor. Professor Barus was also involved in
producing a series of great May Festivals in which he conducted a massed choir
of approximately 600 singers, and it was during this period that the
Maennerchor established of a tradition of holding masked balls which soon
became one of the highlights of the social season.

By 1878 the Maennerchor had outgrown the Turnhalle and Union Hall facilities
they had been using and decided to rent the old City Hall on East Washington
Street for rehearsals and performances. They raised the substantial sum of
$10,000 to renovate the building in 1897 and continued to occupy that location
until March 1907 when they moved to the specially built Maennerchor Hall on the
northwest corner of Michigan and Illinois Streets. The pinnacle of the
Maennerchor was probably the Golden Jubilee of 1904 which was marked by a wide
variety of festivities and even recognition from the Emperor of Germany who
sent a gold memorial medal.

This was followed by the 1908 National Saengerfest of the North American
Saengerbund. Described as "the most brilliant musical festival ever to be held"
in Indiana, it brought 75,000 visitors to Indianapolis and helped to establish
the city as a national center for German culture in America. The Maennerchor
Artist Concert series became a regular venue for some of the most prominent
European and American performers of the day (including Alma Gluck, Efrem
Zimbalist, Pablo Casals, and Vladimir Horowitz) during the early decades of the
century.

Under the patronage of John P. Frenzel, president of Merchants National
Bank, the Maennerchor achieved sufficient local importance that the dedication
of the new Maennerchor Hall in 1907 was attended by Charles Fairbanks, Vice
President of the United States, Charles Bookwalter, mayor of Indianapolis (both
are listed as members of the Maennerchor in 1904), and a number of other
leading lights of the day, including James Whitcomb Riley. Frenzel eventually
became something of an obstacle to its long-term prosperity, however, since in
exchange for his financial support he personally controlled membership in the
society.

The death of John P. Frenzel in 1933 and the cancelling of his will, which
had made provisions for the continued support of the Maennerchor, proved
disastrous for the society in the midst of the Great Depression. Within months
they were forced to relinquish their hall (which became a nightclub for a few
years until it was purchased by Indiana University from the Maennerchor Hall
Association in 1946 to house the IU Law School) and form an association with
the Athenaeum in 1936.

The association with the Athenaeum may have helped to save the Maennerchor
during the 1940s since its proximity to the Murat Shrine building led to an
annual Triad concert with the Murat Shrine "Chanters" and the Knights of
Columbus "Columbians". Under the leadership of Clarence Elbert from 1936 to
1954, the Maennerchor grew in numbers and in cultural prominence so that "at
times they were receiving equal billing with the Indianapolis Symphony".
(Duncan 1987 history)

During the 1960s all of the German clubs began to decline in membership, and
financial problems soon followed. The stress and uncertainty which
characterized the Athenaeum during the 1970s helped to cause the the
Maennerchor to withdraw from its association with that group in January 1973.
The Maennerchor then attempted, with the help of the Historic Landmarks
Foundation of Indiana, to return to the old Maennerchor Hall. However in the
midst of public discussion with several musical and historical groups, the
building was abruptly demolished by American States Insurance in October of
1974. Without a permanent home, and with an aging membership, the Maennerchor
has struggled at times during the 1980s and 1990s, however they continue to
present two to three performances per year.

Snyder, Suzanne Gail. The Männerchor tradition in the United
States: A
historical analysis of its contribution to the American musical culture.
University of Iowa PhD thesis:
1991.

Snyder, Suzanne Gail. "The Indianapolis Männerchor : contributions to a
new
musicality in midwestern life" in Music and culture in America,
1861-1918.
Edited by Michael Saffle, New York : Garland Pub., 1998. Pp. 111-140.

Typical of many German-American organizations of this period, the Maennerchor
functioned through an elaborate system of committees, with 12 separate
committees listed for the 1904 Golden Jubilee alone. The dozens of committees
which appear in this collection have been grouped together by function even
though the continuity of the committee record series listed is not always
clear. The 21 series in the collection are Constitutions and Bylaws, Executive
Committee Records, Correspondence, Attendance Committee Records, Entertainment
Committee Records, Financial Committee Records, History Records, Librarian
Records, Membership Committee Records, Outside Events Committee Records,
Production and Stage Committee Records, Program/Music Committee Records,
Publicity Committee Records, Recording Committee Records, Ticket Committee
Records, Triad Concert Committee Records, Ways and Means Committee Records,
Women's Auxiliary Records, Related Organizations, Photographs, and Audio
Materials. Photographs and audiovisual materials are listed both in the
appropriate series and in photograph and audiovisual inventories at the end of
the series list.

Constitutions and Bylaws, 1897-1988 contain a printed copy of the constitution
of the society dated 1897 detailing the structure and organization of the
Turnverein, and several typewritten revisions from 1947, 1976, and 1988.

Executive Committee Records, 1904-1990, contain minutes of executive meetings
and the annual general meetings with reports from the President and choir
Director and legal documents. The Executive Committee absorbed the
responsibilities of the Nominating Committee in 1987. The legal documents
include a statement of anti-Nazi and Non-profit status, the 1947 sale of
Maennerchor Hall to IU, Choir Director employment contracts, ans a proposed
Maennerchor and Athenaeum association agreement from 1975. Also included in
these records are lists of members of the Standing Committees. These records
provide perhaps the clearest description of the activities of the Maennerchor
after World War II. See also the Athenaeum Turners Collection for reports of
the Chorus Committee to the Athenaeum Turner annual meetings, which are
especially useful for the 1950s.

Correspondence, 1903-1990, includes correspondence from the Golden Jubilee
celebrations in 1904, a letter from director Reckzeh to Assistant Director
Elbert in 1937, and general correspondence from 1942-1990. There are also
general mailings to the membership, including a newsletter from 1973. See also
the Athenaeum Turners collection for correspondence from the Athenaeum
Presidents, and the Athenaeum News and Newsletters during the period of the
Maennerchor's affiliation with the Athenaeum (1936-1973).

Notable in this series is an exchange of letters in 1980-1981 with Norman L.
Merrifield, music instructor at Crispus Attucks High School, that contain
biographical information and references to Merrifield's musical background.
Merrifield has been cited as a significant influence in the musical education
of jazz trombonist J.J. Johnson, and other jazz greats from Indianapolis.

Attendance Committee Records, 1940-1972, contain annual reports and lists of
members attending practices. While relatively few records survive, there was
significant emphasis placed on attendance of both practices and performances.
An interesting aspect of these records are the collections for the
"Bummelkasse", which seems to have been an entertainment slush fund.

Entertainment Committee Records, 1879-1976, contain a few annual reports from
the post-World War II era, and invitations to balls and parties around the turn
of the century. This committee was supposed to provide a social environment
for members of the choir. Also included in this series are two Maennerchor
humor newspapers produced in 1900 and 1914.

History Records, 1908-1990, include unpublished notes from the histories of
Joseph Keller and Kenneth Duncan, various photocopies assembled by Kenneth
Duncan, and a few select newspaper articles. There are also handwritten
histories from 1904 and the mid-1960s and an inventory list of the Maennerchor
rooms from 1947.

Librarian Records, ca. 1940-1976, include annual reports from 1961, 1971, 1976,
and listings of music held in the music library, as well as a selection of
music and lyrics.

Outside Events Committee Records, 1964-1972, include annual reports, and
contracts for performances not held in the Athenaeum building, most notably the
"Evening of Song with Donald Neuen" presented annually with the Indianapolis
Symphonic Choir. This series also contains information and correspondence
relating to a short-lived musical scholarship program with Indianapolis area
high-schools, 1967-1972.

Program/Music Committee Records, 1866-1990, contain programs from
performances, a list of guest artists and correspondence relating to
appearances, handbills, and a few examples of committee reports to the
President or Board of Directors. The Music Committee annual reports list
performances during the previous year (1944-1975), and there is some
correspondence regarding changes in the format of programs.

Publicity Committee Records, 1942-1980, contain annual reports from the
Publicity Committee and examples of publicity notices and mailings. The
records from this period correspond to the period of affiliation with the
Athenaeum Turners so that there is also a significant overlap with Athenaeum
events.

Recording Committee Records, 1951-1975, contain annual reports regarding the
recording and radio broadcast of performances during the early 1970s. Also
included in this series are audio (vinyl) recordings produced for the
centennial celebrations in 1954, four reel-to-reel tapes from the 125th
anniversary concert in 1979, and some materials from the 1970s related to
custom recording.

Triad Concert Committee Records, 1969-1989, contain annual reports and minutes
from meetings with the Knights of Columbus and Murat Shrine to organize the
Triad Concerts. Financial information and some correspondence are also
included in this series. See also the Program Records for Triad performance
programs.

Ways and Means Committee Records, 1989-1990, contain a series of monthly
reports and a grant application addressed to the Indianapolis Foundation, as
part of an attempt to find funding to underwrite the appearance of guest
artists for the 1990 season.

Women's Auxiliary Records, 1900-1973 contain a printed constitution and by-laws
from 1900, early programs from a lecture and recital series, roll books from
te 1940s and 1950s, documents from the financial dispersal of the group in
1961, and some later newspaper clippings. A curious item, given the activism
of the Feminist Movement during the 1970s, is a newspaper reference to the
Ladies Society as the "Maennerfrauen" or Men's Wives.

Related Organizations, 1899-1947, contain records from the Nordamerikanischen
Saengerbundes (North American Singers' Union) and the Saengerbund Freiheit of
Chicago. The Nordamerikanischen Saengerbundes was a national organization of
German-American singing societies. Its records include constitutions and
programs and songbooks for Saengerfests (singing festivals) the organization
sponsored. The Indianapolis Maennerchor belonged to the Nordamerikanischen
Saengerbundes, and John P. Frenzel served as national treasurer.

The Saengerbund Freiheit was a German-American singing organization in Chicago.
Karl Reckzeh was the group's director from 1905 to 1947. Between 1920 and 1939
he split his time between Chicago and Indianapolis while serving as the
director of the Indianapolis Maennerchor. The Freiheit scrapbook, which
contains mainly concert programs, allows for comparisons of the music performed
by the two men's choirs.

Photographs, 1899-1982, contain portraits and concert photographs of the
Indianapolis Maennerchor and of the Triad chorus, photographs of individual
members of the Maennerchor, portraits of guest artists (often autographed for
the Maennerchor or individual members), pictures of various Maennerchor social
activities, pictures of members of the Maennerchor Women's Auxiliary, and
picture post cards relating to the Nordamerikanischen Saengerbundes' 1908
Saengerfest.

Audio Materials, 1954-1979, include two 45 rpm vinyl records issued in
conjunction with the Maennerchor's centennial and four reel-to-reel audiotapes
of the Maennerchor's 125th anniversary concert.

The Indianapolis Maennerchor (men's choir), established in 1854 by German immigrants, is one of the oldest continuously active singing societies in the United States. The Maennerchor was an important organization in the early cultural life of Indianapolis, sponsoring musical events of national importance and bringing prominent singers and musicians to the city. The Maennerchor's concerts feature classical and popular songs in German and in English. These photographs are part of the Indianapolis Mannerchor Records held by the IUPUI University Library Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives.

This project was funded in part by the Hoyt-Reichmann Chair in German-American Studies.